Lavish Gardens Sprout Up on Luxury Penthouse Roofs

Luxury homeowners living in urban penthouses and terraces are installing bespoke greenscapes as carefully curated—and sometimes as costly—as art collections.

By

Amy Gamerman

June 12, 2014 4:24 p.m. ET

Thirty-five stories above New York Harbor, Fred Rich can stroll through his groves of Japanese maple, spruce and pine trees or sit under a pergola hung with grape vines, where wild strawberries and thyme grow between the paving stones. There is a hidden alpine garden, an orchard of plum, peach and heirloom apple trees, and espaliered pear trees growing on copper screens.